FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The South Lane Ballet Academy will join 17 other recipients of Cottage
Grove Community Foundation grants for a celebration of community
involvement and awards ceremony in the Community Center's Shepherd Room
on March 29th from noon to 1:00 PM.  The 18 grant recipients received a
combined $16,091.00 to fund a range of programs that provide Cottage
Grove youth with cultural, educational and extra-curricular activities,
and clothing and school supplies for homeless students.

``We're very excited to provide our community with these grants,'' said
Foundation President Kathryn Porter.  ``The opportunities that our
donors provide will make an immediate and lasting impact for all of
Cottage Grove.''  Last year the Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling
$13,400.00.  The ability to increase the number of grants this year ``is
directly attributable to the hard work and dedication of our Board,
supporters, and donors who believe in Cottage Grove,'' said Porter.

Joining the award recipients will be the Cottage Grove Historical
Society, which will receive a grant to capture and preserve the
community's history on video for future generations, programs that
provide food to the area's hungry, including the Kiwanis Club and
Community Sharing, and programs through Kennedy High School, Healing
Harvest and the Family Relief Nursery that teach sustainable gardening
practices to youth and others.

The public is invited to attend the celebration and awards ceremony. 
``It will be a great opportunity for the community to learn about the
valuable programs offered right here in Cottage Grove, and to thank our
generous donors for their support,'' said Porter.

The full list of grant recipients includes: Harrison School ($500 for
clothing for kids); Dorena School ($1,000 for music education); Bohemia
School ($966 for technology purchases); Boys & Girls Club ($1,000 to
provide learning activities); Healing Harvest ($1,000 for its Learning
Garden expansion); Womenspace ($1,000 to aid survivors of domestic
violence); Parent Partnership ($1,000 to provide laundry services and
hygiene and school supplies for homeless students); Community Sharing
Program ($1,000 to fund its food pantry for the homeless); First
Presbyterian Church ($725 to provide music education); Cottage Grove
Historical Society ($1,000 for its video history project); Cottage
Theater ($500 for a washer and dryer to clean costumes); South Lane
Wheels ($1,000 to facilitate board training); Kennedy School ($1,000 to
provide equipment for a white-water canoe program); Cottage Grove
Community Hospital Foundation ($900 to provide technology to assist
doctors making outcalls to Alzheimer's patients); Kiwanis Club ($500 to
provide meals for the homeless); South Lane Family Relief Nursery
($1,000 to start a sustainable community garden); South Lane Ballet
($1,000 to fund scholarships for disadvantaged youth); Cottage Grove
Economic Development Committee ($1,000 to aid in revitalizing downtown).

The Community Center is located at 700 E. Gibbs Ave., Cottage Grove, OR.

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Media Contact:  Kathryn Porter (541) 942-1940 (home), (541) 942-0014
(office).